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Andrea Bernard said,

Fire Chief Doug Annear and EMT Dana Johnson will be at Tyler Memorial Library on Saturday, August 1, 2015 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM for a story hour. Learn about emergency rescue services and have a tour of an ambulance and fire engine.

Tyler Memorial Library is located at 157 Main Street, Charlemont Town Hall.

Tickets: $10/person for one session; $15/person for both sessions. Food and alcohol are not included in the ticket cost.

Join Aeronaut Brewing Co. for the first of our FIELD DAYS series of benefit concerts with beer, bands, and food trucks amongst the wild hills of western MA as we set up our first ever live outdoor music festival with our premiere MA-hop partner, Four Star Farms. A full day of music on multiple stages including sessions of BLUEGRASS & AMERICANA in the early afternoon followed by FUNK & SURF into the evening hours — with wandering brass HONK! throughout. 100% of ticket sales go to support expansion of the Four Star hop yards.

Admission: $10/person for a session or $15/person for both sessions. Beer and food costs not included in admission price.
Join Aeronaut Brewing Co. for the first of our FIELD DAYS series of benefit concerts with beer, bands, and food trucks amongst the wild hills of western MA as we set up our first ever live outdoor music festival with our premiere MA-hop partner, Four Star Farms. A full day of music on multiple stages including sessions of BLUEGRASS & AMERICANA in the early afternoon followed by FUNK & SURF into the evening hours — with wandering brass HONK! throughout. 100% of ticket sales go to support expansion of the Four Star hop yards.

Talking Hands Theatre presents this musical, interactive puppet show. Miss Rosey loves to garden, but she can’t stand the bugs! So the bugs stage a musical revue, and sing all about how they help out in the garden, why we need them, and what it means to eat organically. Featuring brightly colored, Muppet-style puppets and lots of opportunities for you to sing and dance!

Southwick Public Library said,

Southwick Public Library: Being a Hero for Animals with the Dakin Humane Society.

August 12, 2pm.
Open to teens in grades 7-12.
Free.

Join us at the library for a presentation by the Dakin Humane Society. Learn about what animal shelters do and how you can be a hero for animals in your own life. Dakin will be bringing along two dogs.

Dinner and a Movie!
You are invited on Friday evening August 7th to dinner and a movie co-op style! Food for Change is the award-winning documentary about the history of food co-ops in the United States by local filmmaker Steve Alves. We’ll be screening the film at Quonquont Farm in Whately after a great dinner by our deli and live dixieland music. Dessert and conversation follow will the movie. Buffet dinner starts at 5:30, movie starts at 7. Tickets just $12.50 in advance from the co-op. Cash bar. You’ve got to see this movie if you haven’t yet!

Lynn said,

Come learn cartooning from the masters, Andy and Veronica Fish! Andy and Veronica will provide lessons on creating characters using shape and art styles, and will cover a brief history of the comic and cartooning art form. Come and test your hand at the art of comics- all skill levels welcome!

The program is open to teens (grades 7+) and adults. Please call the library at 413-569-1221 or stop by to register and reserve your spot. All materials will be provided, the program is free. Part of the “Unmask” Suntime Reading Program.

“Unmask” is sponsored by the Southwick Public Library, the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

**This program is supported by a grant from the Southwick Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Drone Photography – Arts Night Out at IS183 Art School of the Berkshires on Friday August 14 from 7pm-9pm

Curious about drones and drone photography? Find out about different drones, supporting cameras, and applications and rules for their use. We will head out with a GhostDrone for a brief demo of the flying and imaging of a drone, and then download and output the imagery to a computer. Each participant will be emailed a drone photograph from the evening! At Citizens’ Hall in Stockbridge.

Berkshire Lyric is hosting a tuition-free choral camp at the Dalton Congregational Church, August 3-7, 2015 from 9am-12pm. This camp is jam packed with all sorts of musical exercises, training, and activities to encourage young singers. Children ages 6-13 are welcome to come sing at this free camp. Questions? Call Berkshire Lyric’s Artistic Director, Jack Brown, at 413-298-5365.

Join Red Fire Farm on August 22nd for our annual Tomato Festival! Live music, great food, local vendors, kids’ activities,organic produce, workshops, and our famous 100-variety tomato tasting are all happening during this fun family event.
The Festival takes place at Red Fire Farm, 7 Carver St., in Granby, MA from 12-6 pm. Admission is $5/person, and kids 10 & under are free.

The 98th Heath Fair will take place August 21, 22 and 23 at the Fairgrounds on Colrain Stage Road in Heath, Mass.

Friday: 5:00PM-11PM Saturday: 8:00AM-10PM Sunday: 8:00AM-5PM

General Admission is $8, Seniors $6, Children 9 and under are free. A limited number of Three Day Passes are available at a discount ($15 Admission, $10 Senior) at the Heath Town Hall (Town Coordinator), Avery’s General Store in Charlemont and Hager’s Farm Market in Shelburne Falls.

Parking on the fairgrounds is $1. Parking at a designated parking field located within easy walking distance of the fairgrounds is free.

The Amherst Business improvement District (BID) is thrilled to continue the Kendrick Park Summer Concert Series on Thursday (7/23) with local folk musicians Abe Loomise and Mikey Sweet. They are part of the Downtown Beats series featuring local musicians and are scheduled for every Thursday on July 16, July 23, July 30, and August 6 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm in Kendrick Park in downtown Amherst. Musical acts from a variety of genres will play.

All concerts during Amherst BID’s Downtown Beats are free and open to the public. Food will not be sold at the concerts. Attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drinks at the many delicious restaurants surrounding both concert venues.

It Takes a Village – Volunteer Orientation
Sunday August 16, 1:00-3:30pm
Westhampton Public Library (1 North Road, Westhampton)

Learn how you can help new families in the Hilltowns. Our home-visit program matches families living in the Hilltowns with a local volunteer, who visits and family and provides companionship, help with household chores like dishes and laundry, baby care, and help with older siblings. Our mission is to increase support and decrease isolation for families with infants. This free orientation will help prepare volunteers to be a great support system for these new families.
We welcome volunteers of all ages (over 18) and backgrounds. Childcare is available during this orientation upon request.
For more information and to RSVP, please email mollie@hilltownvillage.org.

Join Hilltown Land Trust for a midsummer fern foray hike at Taproot Commons Farm in Cummington, a private land held under Conservation Restriction with Hilltown Land Trust and DCR. Come prepared for a 2 mile roundtrip hike along moderate terrain. Long sleeves/pants, sturdy shoes, bug protection, and water are strongly recommended. Please contact Jennifer Garrett at jgarrett@ttor.org or 508-887-0496 to register and receive detailed directions and event updates. Rain will cancel the event. Visit http://www.hilltown-land-trust.org/fern for details.

NOFA Summer Conference
August 14-16th
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) for three days with 144 workshops on farming, gardening, nutrition, land care, food politics and much more. The conference is fun for the whole family with 100+ exhibitors, contra dance, country fair, organic meals, in-depth preconferences, and children and teens conferences. Budget conscious accommodations are available, including camping and dorms. Group registration discounts and limited scholarships and work exchange opportunities are available.

Join us for a special opportunity to learn from nature reconnection educator, tracker, bird language expert and storyteller Jon Young. Jon has spent his life connecting people deeply to nature. He has inspired many thousands of people as well as an international network of schools and programs teaching mentoring and deep nature connection. He is an expert storyteller, known for captivating audiences. Jon focuses on blending native mentoring techniques from around the world with the tools of modern field ecology. He lives in California and visits only rarely, so don’t miss this opportunity!

These events are a benefit for the Vermont Wilderness School (Brattleboro) and Wolftree Programs (Montague), which help youth and adults connect more deeply to nature, in Southern Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Event proceeds will be applied to offering scholarships to people who could not otherwise attend our programs.

Deep Nature Connection – An Evening Talk with Jon Young
Friday, July 24, 7:30 pm, Greenfield, MA
Requested Donation: $20 online / $25 at the door.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Learning the Language of the Birds – A Workshop with Jon Young and a team of instructors
Saturday, July 25, 9am – 4pm, Montague, MA
Requested Donation: $50-100 sliding scale.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

LaTinque said,

To Be Perfectly Frank: A Sinatra Centennial Concert
Saturday, August 8, at 7:30 p.m.
Federated Church, Main Street (Route 2), Charlemont
Join soprano Tinky Weisblat and pianist Alice Parker for an evening of songs sung by the 20th century’s greatest popular singer, a man who crossed generations in his appeal then and now.
Your donation for this event (suggested donation: $10 for adults; $5 for children) will go to the church’s minister’s discretionary fund, which helps families in need in the community.
For more information, call 413-339-4747.

Andrea Bernard said,

Join Postmistress Tammi Hicks for a story hour at Tyler Memorial Library on Saturday, July 18 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM. Find out how your mail gets delivered and send yourself a special package. Tyler Memorial Library is located in the Charlemont Town Hall at 157 Main Street.

This event is for families who are looking for more information about doula care in pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. Moms, Dads, Partners, Grandparents, friends and support people, mamas who are pregnant, or those thinking about conception, please join us for this free event to learn about Doula support.

We will have several Doulas and other Birth Professionals available to answer questions about Doula care, as well as to discuss the unique services they offer to their clients.

Mary Poppins presented by Starlight’s Summer Theatre
7/18/15
2pm and 7pm
Academy of Music, Northampton
$10 – children, students, seniors. $14 – adults
Everyone’s favorite practically perfect nanny takes the stage in this Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical adventure!
Featuring a multi-age cast and welcoming adult friends from the stages of Connecticut, New York and The Pioneer Valley, this magical production of Mary Poppins is an enchanting mixture of irresistible story, unforgettable songs, and delightful dance numbers. Join in the fun and “You may find a you there that you never knew was yours!”

Open House at Vortex Dance Fitness
8/8/15
4:30-6pm
Free for parents and or guardians to discuss when to start a movement class for children ages 4-7. Music will be playing to invite kids to free form dance letting their energy and creativity flow as we conduct adult talk about when the best times and dates would be to run a toddler class that works best for everyone. Light refreshments will be served.

Hydraulic STEAMcraft activity.Build a hydraulic machine and see how you can raise a heavy weight with a little water and force. Meekins Library, Hawks~Hayden Room. Saturday, July 25 from 11-1:30. For kids 5 and older. Contact Susan Cornell at scornell@cwmars.org or call the Library at 413-268-7472. Free.

Meekins Library Summer Reading 2015 Events: July 14 Dare to Dream. Make your own superhero costume or superhero finger puppets; July 21, Meet local heroes; July 28, Movie-Underdog; August 4, Superhero Training Academy, see if you have what it takes to be a superhero; August 11, Summer Reading Program Finale Party. All events begin at 2:30 and are held in the Hawks~Hayden Room. Events are free. All ages are welcome and parental support is encouraged.

Andrea Bernard said,

Join Charlemont Fire Chief Doug Annear at Tyler Memorial Library for a story hour and a tour of a fire truck on Saturday, July 11 from 10:30 AM – 12 PM. Tyler Memorial Library is located in the Charlemont Town Hall at 157 Main Street.

These performances of FLUX ChoreoLab are supported by the generosity of the Local Cultural Councils of Chesterfield, Easthampton, and Pittsfield.
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Moving With The Animals with Linda Peck
Mondays July 13, July 20, July 27
11:00am
Good for kids ages 4-7 years
Forbes Library Community Room – Northampton Ma

Your kids will love this engaging and high energy class that draws from Asian practices of Tai Chi. Kids will learn to move with the animals, movement patterns, balancing exercises, Chinese Brush Painting and more. Beneits include improved coordination, focus, attention, being more mindful of others and all around awareness. 4 Week series by donation.

The Amherst Business improvement District (BID) is thrilled to announce the launch of Kendrick Park Summer Concert Series on Thursday (7/16) with local bands Shokazoba and Carinae. They are part of the Downtown Beats series featuring local musicians and are scheduled for every Thursday on July 16, July 23, July 30, and August 6 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm in Kendrick Park in downtown Amherst. Musical acts from a variety of genres will play.

All concerts during Amherst BID’s Downtown Beats are free and open to the public. Food will not be sold at the concerts. Attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drinks at the many delicious restaurants surrounding both concert venues.

Friday, July 10
7PM Gail Levin lectures on Edward Hopper’s work.
Tickets: $20http://www.sandisfieldartscenter.org
GAIL LEVIN is a scholar, curator and artist, whose work on twentieth century and contemporary art has won her international acclaim. Her writings have been published in more than fifteen countries and her exhibitions shown throughout Europe, Australia, and in Japan. The author of many books and numerous articles, she is the acknowledged authority on the American realist painter Edward Hopper. In 2007, The Wall Street Journal chose her book,Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography (Alfred A. Knopf, 1995, 2nd expanded edition, Rizzoli 2007), as one of the five best portrayals of artists’ lives, going back in its selections to 1931.

The Sandisfield Arts Center will once again stage its highly popular 2014 success: Grand Opera Night in the Royal Ballroom on July 11, 2015, at 7:00pm. Four wonderful artists will be brought up from New York City to sing selections from some of the greatest operas ever written.

Sandisfield’s own Benjamin Luxon will introduce each of the arias, many of which he sang on the world’s most famous stages during his long career as a baritone.

Chef Adam Manacher will produce a light supper to round out this delightful event in the transformed upstairs auditorium in this charming historic landmark.

Tickets for the supper and performance are $60 and, if you wish to expose your child or grandchild to this glorious art form, there are a limited number of seats available for children 16 and under at $15 when accompanied by an adult,

Go to SandisfieldArtsCenter.org and click on the Opera Night……buy your tickets and have a lovely summer evening.

The Sandisfield Arts Center is located at 5 Hammertown Road in Sandisfield, Massachusetts which is off Route 57 – about a half-hour drive from Great Barrington or Lee.

Lynn said,

The Southwick Public Library Suntime Reading Program is underway! Sign ups will be taken until July 31st! Teens, this year, you will get one entry into the weekly raffle for every hour you read with a maximum of five entries per week.

Teens in grades 7-12 also have the option of registering for the program online this year! Visit us here to register and log your hours online (perfect if you’ll be away at camp or on vacation):

Experience this lost art that Earthwork Programs is preserving and sharing with the future generations…see our children rekindle this connection to our past and see for yourself why this is essential to witness.

Pioneer Valley Ballet’s Flux ChoreoLab takes dance out of traditional theatrical venues and places the audience directly in relationship to the performance space. Choreographers Tom Vacanti and Maryanne Kodzis and 10 dancers will perform the dynamic, energetic, and kinetic work EIGHTsongs/SIXdances. Special guest choreographer Anna Wotring will present her work Into It and special guest choreographer Leslie Frye Maietta will premiere a new work, Breed. Flux ChoreoLab is sponsored in part by the Pittsfield, Chesterfield, and Easthampton Arts Councils.

Local author Deanna Cook will present a hands-on workshop to celebrate the release of her new children’s cookbook Cooking Class. Families will learn to make (and eat!) sushi, spring rolls, and lettuce wraps and each family will receive their own copy of the cookbook to take home at the end of the program.

$25 per family (one adult, one child); $7 for each additional child. Museum members $20 per family; $5 for each additional child. Includes Museum admission.

Join Massachusetts-based flutist Erin Pulley in an exciting program exploring the connection between modern culture and the music that represents and embodies that culture. The program will include Eve Beglarian’s I Will Not Be Sad in This World for alto flute and tape; Robert Dick’s Fish Are Jumping for unaccompanied solo flute; Teruki Noda’s Eclogue for flute and percussion joined by Kyle Dubois; Jazer Gile’s Parutika for flute and live electronics; and Steve Reich’s Vermont Counterpoint for flutes and electronics, as well as various other contemporary pieces including flute, percussion, and electronics.
$15 adult, $8 child; Museum members $5 adult, $3 child.

Join Caravan Puppets for a performance of four classic stories from Asia! Enjoy a wide diversity of puppets and puppetry styles with beautiful staging and original music. Some stories are interactive and children will build a small puppet to perform with and take home at the end of the show.

It’s a free evening of science, invention, and sensory fun! All you need is your imagination and the sky is the limit. Make giant bubbles, experience a mega baking-soda-and-vinegar volcano, experiment with glow-in-the-dark slime, and lots more STEM activities! Explore our new Imagination PlaygroundTM, featuring a collection of custom-designed, oversized blue foam parts that provide a changing array of elements that allow children to engage in unstructured, child-directed play. The Imagination PlaygroundTM was generously provided by Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) and national non-profit KaBOOM!

Residents in the Towns of Cummington and Plainfield are invited to attend a meeting to revise their towns Community Development Strategy. This Strategy is used in part to establish goals and priorities for various town activities. Examples of these municipal goal categories are Affordable Housing, Transportation, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Health and Human Services.

The Strategy is also a required document for the submission of the Community Development Block Grant Application. In recent years, this grant has provided assistance to low-moderate income residents with housing rehab., elder services (both in-home chore assistance and medical checks) food pantry and childcare assistance.

Cummington: Thursday, July 16th at 7:30 pm, Community House
Plainfield: Tuesday, July 28th, 7:15 pm, Town Hall

Community input and participation is a part of life in the hilltowns. Come share your thoughts and ideas.
For more information, contact Bea at Hilltown CDC at beavh@hilltowncdc.org or 296-4536, ext 115.

KENDRICK PARK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES IN DOWNTOWN AMHERST
Times: July 16, July 23, July 30, and August 6 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: Kendrick Park, Downtown Amherst

The Amherst Business improvement District (BID) is thrilled to announce the launch of Kendrick Park Summer Concert Series. The concerts feature local musicians and are scheduled for every Thursday on July 16, July 23, July 30, and August 6 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm in Kendrick Park in downtown Amherst. Musical acts from a variety of genres will play.

All concerts during Amherst BID’s Downtown Beats are free and open to the public. Food will not be sold at the concerts. Attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drinks at the many delicious restaurants surrounding both concert venues.

Northampton Summer Concert Series
Every Friday, July 17th- August 14th
6pm-8pm
All Ages, Family Friendly
Contact: Jamie Kent (jamie@collectivemusicllc.com)http://www.collectivemusicconcerts.com
Old Courthouse Lawn, Downtown Northampton (Corner of Main and King)
FREE!

Northampton Summer Concert Series
Every Friday, July 17th- August 14th
6pm-8pm
All Ages, Family Friendly
Contact: Jamie Kent (jamie@collectivemusicllc.com)http://www.collectivemusicconcerts.com
Old Courthouse Lawn, Downtown Northampton (Corner of Main and King)
FREE!

Gini Traub said,

Becoming an Outdoors Family Camping Weekend.
July 18 and 19, Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, MA.

Do you want to take your family camping but need a little help? Then come join us for a beginner’s camp-out this summer! Enjoy family-friendly activities, camping-skills sessions, live animal presentation, and evening story telling program.

Celtic Heels Free Lesson Day
Saturday, June 27
9:30-10:30 for ages 3-6 (Free lesson offered in Irish Dance + Ballet)
10:00-11:00 for ages 7+ (Free lesson offered in Irish Dance + Ballet)
The Celtic Heels School of Irish Dance holds classes and summer workshops for ages 3-adult in Irish Dance, Ballet, Kids Yoga + Barre Strengthening Classes. Come meet some of the instructors and have your child try out a lesson for free.
Located at 267 Main Street in Greenfield up on the second floor.

Take a blustery brass lineup, layer it over a rhythm section led by a Fats Waller-style stride piano virtuoso, toss in a tap dancer, and tie the whole thing together with a magnetic, one-of-the-boys front woman whose voice recalls another era, and you have the Hot Sardines – a band that plays the hot trad jazz and sultry standards of the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s with a Parisian accent and a dash of the rich Dixieland sounds of New Orleans. Fans of Pink Martini and the Squirrel Nut Zippers: you’re gonna love the Hot Sardines!

$40 all seats (Reserved Seating); Five College, GCC and 17 & under $15 (Tickets by calling 413-545-2511 or 800-999-UMAS, or at fineartscenter.com)

Join us for a pre-concert “Speak-Easy” party in the lobby with cash bar starting at 6:30 p.m. Dress to impress for the period and win a prize.

Sunday , July 12 10AM – 2PM – Free
Appalachian Trail Family Day Hike
Great Barrington, MA
Calling young explorers! Join us for a special kid-friendly hike geared at helping families enjoy hiking the Appalachian Trail. Our 2 mile hike (round-trip) through ice gulch to the Tom Leonard Shelter will take us into one of Berkshire County’s most interesting trail sections. Kids will be able to explore a thru-hiker shelter, eat their lunch with an awesome view, and play games that help develop good trail skills. Parents will learn great tips for successful family trail days. For more information http://www.gbtrails.org. To register, email: info@gbtrails.org or call (413) 528-8002.
Registration is required, group size is limited.
This event is co-led by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Great Barrington Trails and Greenways in support of the Great Barrington Appalachian Trail Community.

Saturday, July 25 – Free
3rd Annual Great Barrington Appalachian Trail Hikes and Community Picnic
Benedict Pond, Beartown State Forest
Benedict Pond Road, Monterey, MA
Did you know that Great Barrington is a designated Appalachian Trail Community™? Join DCR MassParks staff and Great Barrington Trails & Greenways partners to celebrate the Appalachian Trail in our community. Come learn what it’s all about and connect with others in the trail community. There will be 4 guided hikes which will all end in time to join the picnic. Bring plenty of your favorite picnic food to share with hungry thru-hikers.
Registration Required for all hikes . Space is limited. Registration: info@gbtrails.org

10:30 AM- Join us on one of two adventurous 7 mile hikes: South along the A.T. from Fernside Rd. -OR– North along A.T. from Homes Rd, are asked to meet at Benedict Pond parking lot at 10:30am and will be shuttled to the starting points.
2:00 PM- Join for one of two shorter hikes
Moderate hike to “The Ledges” along the A.T. for fantastic views -OR- gentle hike around Benedict Pond.
5 PM POTLUCK PICNIC- All hikes end at the picnic. Can’t join us on a hike? Come to the picnic! Swimming and campfire provided.
Bring lots of your favorite picnic food to share with hungry thru-hikers!
THRU-HIKERS WELCOME (free camping at Benedict Pond and Berkshire South Regional Community Center in GB)!
In the event of rain or significant weather the event will be cancelled. Parking for the event will be offered at the main entrance for Beartown State Forest near the boat ramp on Benedict Pond Rd. in Monterey.
Questions : info@gbtrails.org or call (413) 528-0904
Event information at http://www.gbtrails.org and http://tinyurl.com/GBATDAY
Sponsored by: DCR MassParks, Great Barrington Trails & Greenways, Greenagers, Appalachian Mountain Club, & Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Join Berkshire Humane Society (BHS) for Woofstock 2015, its 20th annual benefit dog walk, at the Pittsfield Common on Sunday, June 28th. Besides a 1.5 mile stroll around downtown Pittsfield, the day’s festivities include canine demonstrations, local vendors, games, and delicious food.

This is a family friendly event! There is no cost to attend Woofstock 2015. Registration forms for the walk can be downloaded at our website or picked up at BHS, Purradise, CATWALK, and local veterinarians and pet supply stores. Each person who raises $500 in pledges will be invited to lunch with Steve Caporizzo, Woofstock’s Honorary Chair.

Details
The 35th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Amherst Crafts on the Common will be held on the beautiful Amherst Town Common on Saturday, July 11th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. The Fair will feature approximately 120 artisans with all handmade crafts, a food booth, shady picnic area, a wonderful Silent Auction, children’s activities, huge children’s book sale, and musical entertainment throughout the day. The Amherst Crafts on the Common Fair benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, a program of CHD. For more information visit our website at http://www.chd.org/bbbs or call (413) 259-3345.

Join Multi-Arts for our free, fun, and creative workshop. Spend the afternoon with us and renowned artist Titus Neijens, who will guide you and your children in expressive artwork straight from your imagination.
Let your creativity roam free during our free activities including making toys, masks, sculptures, imaginary creatures, 3D art pieces, and many more! Enjoy your personal souvenir or project you make with us! Our program is open to children of all ages and parents or caregivers.

Friday June 19, 4:30 in Hadley -Senior Community Center
Friday June 26, 2:00 in Holyoke – Heritage State Park

Please include with Pajama Jam Story Time & Stuffed Animal SLeepover at the Meekins Library on Wed. June 24th: Wear your comfy pj’s, bring your favorite stuffed animal, a pillow and/or blanket and hunker down for an evening of stories, crafts and snacks. Your stuffed animal can stay over night for a library sleepover and you can pick him/her up the next afternoon, after 3 pm, and see what really happens at the library when the lights go out. Great for families with kids age 7 or younger, but all are welcome.

AMHERST COMMUNITY BAND CONCERTS IN SWEETSER PARK
Times: June 12, July 17, and August 14 from 6pm-7:30pm
Location: Sweetser Park, Lessey Street, Amherst

The Amherst Business improvement District in collaboration with Tim Anderson, director of the UMass Minuteman marching band, is thrilled to announce the launch of three Amherst Community Band Concerts this summer. The concerts are scheduled for June 12, July 17, and August 14 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in Sweetser Park in downtown Amherst.

The first Amherst Community band concert on June 12th kicks off the Amherst BID’s ‘Downtown Beats’, a series of musical events, aimed to bring more music and people into downtown Amherst during the summer. Another component of Downtown Beats is the Kendrick Park Summer Concert series, comprised of four concerts scheduled for July 16, 23, 30 and August 6 from 5:30-8:00pm. The Kendrick Park series will have musical acts from a variety of genres.

All concerts during Amherst BID’s Downtown Beats are free and open to the public. Food will not be sold at the concerts. Attendees are encouraged to purchase food and drinks at the many delicious restaurants surrounding both concert venues.

The vibe of a neighborhood block party with music, a juried craft fair, food trucks, beverages, cultural diversity, and family activities together in the park. Rain or shine! Bring a blanket, lawnchair and umbrella and plan to spend the day. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the event is free but non-perishable food items for Neighbors Helping Neighbors Food Pantry are welcome.

Residents in the Towns of Chesterfield and Westhampton are encouraged to attend a meeting to revise their towns goals and priorities for various town activities. Examples of goal categories include Affordable Housing, Transportation, Land Use, Natural Resources and Health and Human Services.

The Strategy is also a required document for the submission of the Community Development Block Grant application. In the recent past, the grant has provided assistance to low-moderate income families with the following types of services: housing rehab, elder services – both in-home chore help and medical checks -, food pantry and childcare assistance.

Chesterfield: Monday, June 29th at 4:30. Selectboard Room
Westhampton: Monday, June 29th at 7:30. Town Hall.

We’ll be painting a variety designs, from fllp flops and palm trees to sea shells and anchors! Get creative and bring a little summer fun to June! There’ll be wine available for purchase direct from this amazing little vineyard in the heart of Florence.

$25.00 gets you two wine (stemmed or stemless) glasses to bring home! We’ll contact you ahead of time to get your preference!

Taproot Commons is hosting Hay in a Day! A Free Community Event,
Saturday June 6, 8:00a-1:00p.

Come practice scything and learn to make hay by hand. A great opportunity to learn, hang out, eat farm-made pizza, and drink switchel. Bring scythes, rakes, and forks if you have them– some extra tools will be available. Come between 8-12 for mowing instruction from Sy Schotz.

Drive to Taproot (11 Porter Hill Rd. Cummington), then follow signs to Maple East where event will take place.

Through June 28, 2015: It is registration time for summer classes with Music Together® for Valley Families, offering weekly sessions starting July 6 of this internationally recognized parent/child music and movement program. Locations are at 2nd Chances Kid’s Consignment Shop Community Room in Amherst, All Saint’s Episcopal Church in So. Hadley and The Sunderland Library. Classes are held on various days and times. Call (413) 259-9400 or view their web site: http://www.valleymusicgroup.com to register and receive more information.

Join Earthwork Programs for this unique experience and come away with skills in correct identification of wild edibles and medicines you can find right outside your back door.

Possible focus: cattails…wetland species, field and edge of forest. & late spring edibles–only a small window of time to get them; by next class, some won’t be available to harvest. + proper fiddlehead identification.

You will learn how and when to harvest by season and in what habitat to seek out your favorite wild edibles. Additionally you will learn how to harvest with intention; keeping in mind the importance of the responsibility we have as foragers and earth stewards.

What do you and your family know about the steps to take when someone is lost? Do you know how to make a shelter in the woods? Learn the skills to have peace of mind in the woods. Be prepared for comfort in the outdoors–without a tent.

This is an introduction to lostproofing and shelter building, and it will give you the skills to practice on your own.

In collaboration with Trustee of Reservations, Frank Grindrod of Earthwork Programs will lead this Workshop.

Please join us Saturday, June 13th for our annual wine tasting and silent auction. This year’s event will be held at the beautiful Black Birch Vineyard in Southampton from 7-10pm. http://blackbirchvineyard.com/

Tickets are available at the event and are $20 each/$35 for two. Join us for an evening of wine, music, and fun – all while supporting our amazing school!

Please invite friends and neighbors to attend…the more the merrier! Have fun and support Nonotuck Community School, Inc.

Meet the Doula Day
Saturday June 20, 2015
2:00-4:00 pm
This event is for families who are looking for more information about doula care in pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. Moms, Dads, Partners, Grandparents, friends and support people, mamas who are pregnant, or those thinking about conception, please join us for this free event to learn about Doula support.

Documentary Photography at Citizens’ Hall, Stockbridge with Thad Kubis. Learn how to interpret the complexities and possibilities of the scene. June 8-12 from 9:30am-12:30pm. IS183 Member Tuition $180 Not Yet Member $210

Drawing as an Extreme Sport at The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown with Kathline Carr. Bulk up your 2D skills and Build your creative muscle! June 8-12 from 9:30am-12:30pm. IS183 (or The Clark) Member Tuition $180 Not Yet Member $210

Red Fire Farm is kicking off the CSA season with a free lesson and demonstration at their Granby location. Chef Dane, founder of the Julia Poppins School of Cooking, and Granby Crew Cook, will show you how to properly store and preserve your harvest bounty for maximum freshness. Julia Poppins School of Cooking promotes food literacy through fun, confidence-building, hands-on, in-home cooking lessons in Northampton, Massachusetts.

With an engaging combination of expertise, wit, and fun, Chef Dane will walk you through the basics and beyond. All attendees will get to sample fresh farm produce, and receive a discount coupon for a lesson with the Julia Poppins School of Cooking.

Is it hard to find time to be together as a family? And when you do find the time, is it hard to know how you want to be together? What you want to do together? Hard to agree on what that might be?

Come away with:

*Greater insight into how to create family connection.
*Clarity about what your family’s biggest connection challenge is.
*Confirmation about what’s working to connect you family.
*And a first step you will take to make the changes you want to make.

Come learn about our neighbors who share our home in the Connecticut River Watershed! Kidleidoscope is a kid-friendly, hands-on environmental experience for young children. Each topic includes a story, interactive games, and a craft to introduce you and your child to the natural world. Programming recommended for ages 3-6 with a parent or guardian.

May 26 Birds
June 2 Fish
June 9 Frogs
June 16 Turtles
June 23 River Otters
June 30 Eagles
July 7 Bobcats
July 14 Beavers
July 21 Bees & Flowers
July 28 Skunks
August 4 Dragonflies
August 11 Rabbits
August 18 Snakes
August 25 Coyotes
September 1 Bats
September 8 Butterflies
September 15 Raptors
September 22 Moose
September 29 Squirrels
October 6 Bears
_______________________________________________________

Strawberry Soiree at Red Fire Farm on Saturday, June 20
Join us at the farm in Montague for a celebration of the strawberry during the peak of picking season! We grow at least nine varieties of strawberries, each with their own unique flavor. This is a fantastic event for the whole family.

We’ll have strawberry shortcake and chocolate-dipped strawberries for sale, as well as seasonal produce from the farm. If you don’t want to pick your own, there will be quarts of strawberries for sale, by the variety.

God Mountains and Fengshui Forests: Folk Conservation Systems and Ecological Sustainability in China
6/6/15
10:30am-11:30am
Included with museum admission
Dr. Chris Coggins, a professor of geography and Asian Studies at Bard College at Simon’s Rock will discuss his research on village sacred landscapes in the Tibetan and Han culture regions of western and southern China. The author of The Tiger and the Pangolin: Nature, Culture, and Conservation in China (University of Hawaii, 2003) and co-editor with Emily Yeh of Mapping Shangrila: Contested Landscapes of the Sino-Tibetan Borderlands (University of Washington, 2014), Coggins has been conducting field research in rural China since 1990.

Korean Brush-painting demonstration with Sungsook Setton
6/25/15
2:00pm-4:00pm
Included with museum admission
Sungsook Setton is a Korean-American artist and calligrapher. Besides her training in brush painting and calligraphy under Chinese and Korean masters, she has also studied Western art in Germany, the UK and the United States, obtaining her BA in Studio Art at Stony Brook University and MFA in interdisciplinary art at Goddard College. Setton’s work has been widely exhibited in Canada, the UK, Taiwan, Korea and the United States.

Cooking Class with Deanna Cook
7/18/15
11:00am-2:00pm
$25/family (one adult one youth); $7 for each additional child. $20/member families; $5 for additional youth.
Local author Deanna Cook will present this hands-on workshop to celebrate the release of her new children’s cookbook Cooking Class. Families will learn to make (and eat!) sushi, spring rolls and lettuce wraps and each family will receive their own copy of the cookbook to take home at the end of the program.

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Welcome to Hilltown Families, an online grassroots communication network for families living throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts. Hilltown Families believes in creating resilient and sustainable communities by developing and strengthening a sense of place in our children and citizens through community based education and engagement. We work to accomplish this by highlighting the embedded learning that is found everywhere in our communities, making the information accessible to families, and giving parents/educators access to opportunities that supports their children’s interests and education while encouraging community engagement.

Hilltown Families was founded in 2005 by Sienna Wildfield and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

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